Pregnancy is usually a time ripe with excitement and joy for an expectant mother as she anticipates the birth of the new life growing in her womb. In this time of COVID-19, safety has become of the utmost importance to everyone and it’s no different for pregnant women. Here are a few tips to help expectant mothers have a safe pregnancy.
The most common query from pregnant women is “if I have COVID-19, will I pass it on to my baby?” COVID-19 being a new virus, research is being done on a daily basis and new findings are unearthed frequently. There is still no confirmation from reliable resources that the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy. With that being said, pregnant mothers need to take all the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their babies safe and when feeling ill, seek prompt medical care.
Staying home and social distancing are at the heart of staying safe during this period. However, this can make some expectant mothers hesitant to show up for their prenatal checkups with their obstetrician. The prenatal checkups can be done in a safe manner since hospitals are the first institutions that adhere to the COVID-19 safety measures put in place by the Ministry of Health. So while thinking of COVID-19, mothers still have to follow the pregnancy health guidelines.
Usually, during childbirth, the presence of the father of the baby or close family members is allowed in the hospital room. With social distancing an explicit requisite of our daily lives, it is advisable to limit the number of people who can access the hospital room of the mother and have physical access to the newborn baby. After giving birth, the most pertinent question mothers will ask themselves is “Can COVID-19 be transmitted through breastfeeding?”
Although new facts on COVID-19 might emerge, the latest data shows that no traces of the COVID-19 virus have ever been found in breastmilk. Mothers must remain vigilant and follow COVID-19 regulations to the letter to ensure they keep their babies safe.
As far as research shows, pregnant women are not at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to any other set of people. However, due to changes in their bodies and immune systems, pregnant women in the last months of pregnancy can be badly affected by some respiratory infections, and so it’s important to take precautions that can keep them safe.
